Ultimatums
by Apparently Awesome
Summary: Ultimatums. Parker hates ultimatums.


Hey peoples! So I was singing Catch Me by Demi Lovato and this idea popped into my head. It's not a songfic, but some parts are based off the songs lyrics, so thank you Demi for writing an awesome song! Since my laptop is having issues with the schools wireless internet, I have to come to the computer lab thingy to post this and I really wanted to do it today, cause I'd probably forget about it. There aren't enough Parker/Hardison fics and I only see Elliot and Parker as having a sibling type relationship. So, the words like _this_ are flashbacks. I decided to make up my own instead of using it moments from the show because I'd get picky and I felt creative. Have fun reading!

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Ultimatums. Parker hated them. She hated ultimatums with a passion. Normally, ultimatums had some sort of commitments attached and most of the time they did not end well. So when Hardison gave her an ultimatum about them being "a couple", she walked off, or at least that's how it would seem to him and others.

Inside she was freaking out, her mind was going a hundred miles a minute, millions of thoughts kept popping up in her head, and the tension between them was so intense, she couldn't breathe. Not wanting to scare him out and run, as she normally would, she simply walked away and once out of his sights, ran.

When she finally stopped running, receiving strange stares from a few people on the street, she found herself at a restaurant. Some people were sitting at tables outside chatting with each other or doing other things. She sat in a corner to herself and checked her cell phone vibrating in her pocket. Parker chose to ignore Hardison's phone call, which was apparently his fifth time calling and dialed a familiar number. It rang twice until someone answered.

"Hello?"

"Sophie."

"Parker?" Sophie recognized, "What's the matter?"

"I hate ultimatums."

Sophie leaned against a wall of the hotel room she was staying at in London. She was confused, but decided to just go along with Parker's flow.

"Yes."

"I also hate commitments."

"With people?" Sophie questioned, "Yes, you do. Parker, what is this about?"

"Hardison. Hardison told me that we either become a couple, or we're nothing at all."

Sophie finally understood what Parker was talking about, but was still confused.

"Are you sure you heard him right? I mean, that doesn't sound like something Hardison would say. Especially to you, of all people."

"Well… he did mention something about being hurt numerous times, but I-"

"By you, Parker?" Sophie asked her.

"Yeah," she answered, "but it was for cons."

"What did you do?" Sophie asked sensitively, "You didn't do the make out distraction thing did you?"

"Only once since you've been gone. I've also had to flirt with a few guys for cons to pick pockets and other stuff."

"Well I still don't get why that would upset him, I mean, I get why it would," Sophie expressed, "but I don't understand why he would give you an ultimatum about being a couple, unless…"

"Unless what?" Parker asked curiously.

"Have you two been getting closer?" asked Sophie, "I mean, closer as in maybe more than friends."

"I don't get what you're saying." Parker said.

"Has Hardison given you any gifts? Has he taken you out to places, paid for things for you, has he showed any type of romantic feelings towards you what so ever? It could be as simple as a kiss on the cheek or- or a hug."

At that explanation, Parker subconsciously touched her cheek where Hardison had kissed her for the first time a month ago. He had taken her to see some movie that he had been dying to see, though he had already seen it, and gladly explained things to her that she had been confused about.

Her hand traveled down to the silver chain necklace with a star hanging from it. He had given her the necklace maybe three weeks ago and had her name engraved in it. He claimed it was because he didn't know when her birthday was, which she would never tell him, but he was a two days early from it in giving her the gift.

"Parker? Are you still there?"

Parker snapped out of her memories.

"He gave me a necklace, and he took me out. He also kissed me once."

"Now it makes sense," Sophie said, "Parker, you haven't reciprocated any of his feelings, have you?"

"…no."

"That's why he's upset. He feels hurt, Parker. I'm sure if you just tell him how you feel about him, things will work themselves out."

"Feelings?"

"Emotions, Parker. Tell him how you feel about him."

"But I don't know how I feel about him," she replied.

"Well, take some time to think about it," Sophie advised, "Think about romance, then think about your feelings for Hardison. If your feelings are similar to romantic ones, then chances are you at least like him, and you owe it to him and you to give it a shot."

"I've never been in a relationship before," Parker admitted, "I don't know what romance is, exactly, or love."

She could hear Sophie chuckle and sigh happily.

"Parker, romance is an adoration of sorts," Sophie explained to her, "You feel all these strange yet exciting emotions like butterflies in your stomach or nervousness when you're around them. When he touches you, do you feel electricity? When he holds you, do you feel safe? Love is paramount; Parker It's just so much… can't really fully describe it."

Parker's face turned to one of confusion and wonder.

"Think about it, Parker," Sophie told her, "Then talk to Hardison."

Sophie hung up and Parker sat her cell on the table. She put her hands in the pockets of her leather jacket and stared at the table, going into thoughts of Hardison. He did make her feel weirder than her usual. Even she had to admit that through the last month and a half, she and he had gotten closer.

_--------------_

"_I'm glad you came to the movie with me, Parker."_

_He kissed her cheek and left her at the door of her apartment._

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"_I'm fi-"_

_Hardison pulled her into a hug. Once the initial shock wore off, she cautiously hugged him back. A few seconds later, he pulled away._

"_Don't you ever- ever, do that again! I was scared, woman!"_

_--------------_

"_I saw it at the jewelry store and thought of you."_

_He slid the blue velvet box towards her and kept his eyes on the computer screen as she looked at him curiously, but opened it. She took the necklace out and held it up in front of her face._

"_It's all silver. A star," he told her, "Because you're like a star. I didn't- don't know when your birthday is, so… yeah…"_

_-------------_

_He pulled her closer to him as their lips meshed. Her hands balled into fist, gripping his shirt by his shoulders, as he backed her against a wall. Eventually he pulled away from her, breathing heavily and looking into her eyes._

"_I- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to… I- I just got caught up… in the moment I guess. I-"_

_She pulled him back down and kissed him again._

_-------------_

She couldn't even count the number of butterflies fluttering in her stomach when he kissed her cheek. When he hugged her after that case when she herself wasn't sure she'd come out safe, she felt something she never experienced before. She felt comfort and safety. It gave her this funny feeling in her chest knowing that someone actually cared. She hadn't taken the necklace off since the day he gave it to her and when they kissed…

She could honestly say she knew what Sophie meant. She felt that spark whenever she was with him and electricity when they kissed just a week ago. She experienced something with Hardison that she hadn't experienced in so long. She had feelings. She had actual feelings for Hardison, and if he was willing to give it a try then so was she. She never backed down from a challenge before.

She put her phone in her pocket and stood up, taking a breath before running back.

"Maybe I shouldn't have pushed it," Hardison said guilty to Elliot.

Elliot rolled his eyes and took a long sip of his beer.

"Man up, for Pete's sake. You sound like a sixteen year old whose date never called."

Hardison frowned at him and Elliot took another sip of beer.

"Look, it's Parker, man. She's not like other chicks, you know that. She's probably just thinking."

Hardison nodded, "Yeah…"

"Or she's on a plane to another country as we speak."

Hardison turned to him with a frown and eyes cut.

"It's a joke," Elliot defended, "A joke, man, relax."

He stood up and took his beer, "I guess she didn't leave after all."

Hardison was confused until he looked at Elliot leave Nate's apartment and Parker walk in. He stood up when Parker stopped in front of him.

"Par-"

"I want this."

Hardison stared at her, "What?"

"I want this. Us."

"Are you sure."

"I'm positive," she replied, "I talked to Sophie, she said something's that made me think, I thought about it, and I want to be-"

"My girlfriend," Hardison finished for her, "My baby, Queen of the Geeks."

"Um…"

"It'll grow on you."

"I doubt it."

He grinned and kissed her. She pulled away quickly.

"I hate ultimatums."

"I know."

He kissed her again.

* * *

So wasn't that just a bucket full of awesome sauce? I'm so awesome, that didn't even sound lame when I said it in my head. JK, I am awesome though, and so are all of you guys... everyone has awesomeness... you just have to find it. I support The Awesome. Plus I just love that word! Awesome! Awesome. Awesome? Awesome... Awe-some....


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